LIVE REVIEW: Mildlife & Parcels – A Night of Groove, Glow, and Collective Euphoria

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There are shows that entertain, and then there are shows that completely rewire the way you experience live music. Mildlife and Parcels delivered the latter with a fully immersive, atmospheric, soul-lifting night that shimmered across the natural amphitheater of Brisbane’s iconic Riverstage and pulsed through every body in the crowd.

From the get-go, this felt more like a festival than a stand alone gig. With Mildlife opening overwhelming us with pulsating bass riffs that rippled across the amphitheatre and drew us off the hill into the body-heat haze of the standing crowd. Their setup—keys, bass, drums, and guitar arranged in a clean four-piece line—created a sonically expansive landscape that felt both meticulous and effortless.

The vocoder became a defining texture, weaving through the set like an otherworldly narrator, while the guitarist’s surprise flute interludes completely entranced the audience. Mildlife’s magic, though, was in their transitions, with songs gliding into each other with liquid smoothness, pulling us into a never-ending wormhole of groove. We followed willingly, step after groovy step, wrapped in shimmering lights and atmospheric haze. Stand-outs for me included Zwango Zop and The Magnificent Moon.

As Mildlife exited, anticipation for Parcels rose like steam from the slew of sweaty bodies in the mosh. The band set the tone with an onscreen acknowledgment of Country, accompanied by projections of keys that built an ethereal hush over the crowd. When the golden lights finally flared to life, the amphitheatre erupted with excitement.

From the opening moments, Parcels absolutely delivered, with red-lit pulsations, striking live visuals, and a camera feed that made the stage feel imminent. We were pushed into a world where instruments and vocals swirled through the air in what often felt like a spiritual transmission, especially with the injection of the first synth and guitar chords of their first track To Be Loved.

Overnight, the third song lit up the entire venue as thousands of voices sang in unison. The band’s precision was startling, showcasing studio-exact musicianship elevated by improvisational solos that kept the energy ricocheting unpredictably across the stage.

The fourth track Somethinggreater gave the bassist’s smooth, understated vocals a moment to shine with the harmonies washing over us in triumphant waves for the lyrics “holding on for something greater, holding on for something else.”

The crowd had an emotional moment, holding hands and swaying in synchronicity, during the track Sorry which began with a sparse opening, before bursting into orange light with the entire crowd singing the lyrics “I’m sorry that it hurts to be loved”. 

The set flowed effortlessly with many soaring harmonies and ripping solos under blue and red strobes and purple lasers slicing through the clear evening sky. Gamesofluck shimmered under a montage of visuals, while Summerinlove rolled out with a playful kiss-cam that had the crowd cheering and wooing as it captured intimate moments in the crowd.

Despite the festival-level spectacle, Parcels kept things personal. Sitting down at the front of the stage, they spoke about the feeling of homecoming with this first show of their Australian tour, just a stone’s throw from their Byron Bay beginnings.

A tender performance of Leaveyourlove brought four-part harmonies together, eliciting tears from more than a few in the crowd - myself and my housemates included. From there, the energy surged again as we set into the vibrant conclusion of this monumental evening. Drum-focused red-light frenzies, swelling instrumentals, and an epic drum/bass/guitar climax during Thinkaboutit. Crowd faces flashed overhead in black and white as the lights heated into a glowing golden yellow.

The closing of the main set transformed the crowd into a single sweaty organism – people on shoulders, smoke billowing and the Riverstage roaring with euphoria. As the spotlight moved to the musicians taking their places, the crowd moved accordingly with the mosh opening out a circle space only to rush back in as the bass hit, celebrating the sense of togetherness and oneness created by this collective experience of joy.

The encore offered a breath of downtempo sweetness with the guitarist seated on the floor once more, backlit, with the band’s harmonies hovering like fireflies as fans formed heart-hands in the air. With a final low bass hum reverberating through our bodies, Parcels signed off with warmth, gratitude, and the undeniable glow of shared creative energy.

By the end, as the lights dimmed and the dewy grass reflected the last flickers of colour, we were left feeling like we were completely whole in the moment.